


Responsibility

by Averia



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Leadership, Self-Doubt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-07
Updated: 2016-01-07
Packaged: 2018-05-12 09:42:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5661712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Averia/pseuds/Averia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Are we doing the right thing?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Responsibility

Kaldur knew something was wrong the moment Nightwing entered the warehouse. They had met often here to plan this mission, had worked all night to get far enough. It had become a safe haven now that he had to work under his father and if he would not still have their secret meetings, Kaldur was not sure if he would not have started to believe the lies of Black Manta.

“What did they say?” he asked eluding a direct question. If he had learned something then that vigilantes of Gotham never opened up about their problems even less than other heroes. It was a slow process Kaldur was willing to go.

“They agreed. Artemis will be with you soon” Dick responded, stopping in front of him and Kaldur smiled slightly.

“I hoped she would. My mission will be much easier with a person by my side I can trust.”

Nightwing nodded, fingers curling into a fist and Kaldur watched his friend struggling for a while until he could not help but lay a comforting hand on his shoulder. They said nothing for a second, white lenses starring down at his hand before they focused back on him.

“Are we doing the right thing?” Nightwing whispered. It sounded so weak that Kaldur was reminded about all the times Robin had gotten hurt on their missions, the youngest of them, laughing and joking even with bruised ribs and blood dripping under his uniform, simply because he was doing this job since he had been a child. 

“We are.”

There was no doubt in his mind. Nightwing chuckled, lips croaked.

“How can you be so sure? All of this” Nightwing said, breathing in deeply and stepping back, gesturing around the room “It could go wrong. We could lose you and now even Artemis. How am I going to explain this to the team? How can I call myself the leader if all I do is lying to them?”

He had known that Dick was still insecure, even after all these years. It was probably what came with the responsibility of working under the Batman. After the second Robin’s death it had only increased again.

“Dick” he said warmly, laying both hands on his shoulders this time, knowing he would not be able to evade him so easily “You are a true leader. Those decisions and this plan? I would never have been able to make them without you.”

Dick licked his lips, looking away.

“Exactly” he muttered “You would never do this.”

Kaldur frowned at his friend.

“You do not understand” he started but Dick shook his head and walked out of his Atlantean enhanced grip as if it was nothing, peeling of the mask and squeezing it between his hands. Blue eyes stared at him and Kaldur felt like an insect that was being dissected. He wondered if Batman had the same gaze, wondered if Dick had felt like this as a child. 

“When you come back I want you to become the leader again” Dick said, voice echoing through the warehouse with near fierceness “You are better at this than I will ever be. You understand them how I will never be able to. I don’t have the same kindness you have, the same patience. They chose you. The League chose you not me. Batman chose you not me.”   

In the last years Kaldur had seen glimpses and whispers of the insecurities and self hatred. All vigilantes of Gotham had it, every Robin, Batgirl and even Artemis. But he had never seen it that strikingly obvious and Dick was not stopping.

“I am betraying them. If I had found another way you would not be in this situation. If anyone it should be me that is going with you. I am putting you in danger, in a situation I cannot control. I can’t protect you. This is not what a leader should do.”

Kaldur shook his head, chuckling and Dick’s eyebrows furrowed in slight confusion, slight hurt.

“Have you seen yourself? All those nights we planned this you were the one to make the decisions because they were too hard for me. You pushed us _on_. Without you there would be _no_ solution. This is not a perfect plan but that does not mean you made the wrong step forward. I know you care for all of us. It’s the only reason you put yourself down. You don’t want to do this but you know it’s necessary. You see the broader picture” Kaldur explained, desperation fuelling his words because he did not want to leave knowing Dick was slowly crumbling under the pressure “like Batman.”

Dick tensed and he nearly was not able to grasp the younger man before he could disappear into the night.

“Did you listen to me?” he asked firmly, anger creeping into his voice and Dick turned back to him, jaw tense.

“Yes.”

Kaldur forcefully breathed through at the slight growl.

“Then why are you still diminishing your self-worth?” he asked between clenched teeth and Dick’s lips twitched downwards and he tried to leave again but Kaldur had no intention of letting him go. If his contact was not there to support him who would be? If Dick lost sight of the cause because of his guilt, who would push on?

“Dick” he pressed on and Dick finally let his shoulders fall.

“I don’t want to be like Batman. I don’t want to use you like pawns.”

Kaldur should have known and he could not help but hug him. Dick tensed in his grip. So differently from the cheerful Robin he had once been who would have laughed at the contact, grinned and walked on.

“I have never felt as if I am a pawn Dick. You are here now and you will be here again. Never have you ever distanced yourself from the team. But please distance yourself from that stupid guilt of yours because there is nothing you have to be guilty about.”

Dick looked up at him when Kaldur took a minimal step back, eyes shimmering. He had only seen him cry once. The night they had received the message that Jason had died. Dick had raged until his hands had been bloody only then had the tears started to flow.

“I” he begun and Kaldur knew everything was about to break out but Dick was still biting it back and if he would not succeed in breaking the wall completely Dick would close of again.

“Tell me” he encouraged “Or Wally, Zatanna, someone.”

Dick bit his tongue and shook his head but his thoughts finally broke free.

“It’s just too much.”

Kaldur wanted to ask what he meant but he knew it already, had just not thought about it. The League was in space, would perhaps never return. There was no Batman on earth and despite that someone was out there in the mantle, someone who would have to be him forever if the Batman would die. And that someone was training Batgirl and Robin too, was training a bunch of kids while keeping a team together and leading a secret mission under their noses.

“You don’t have to worry. Artemis and I will be fine” he said with a small smile “You will be fine. I believe in you, we all do.”

Dick kept silent and Kaldur wondered if Dick even knew how much all of them looked up to him. He was only human but he seemed so much stronger than them sometimes.

“As soon as I am back I will be here for you, just like you are here for me.”

Dick opened his mouth perhaps to complain or deny that he was doing anything but then he kept silent anyway, nodding. Hopefully his words had really convinced him.

“Promise me neither you nor Artemis will die” he said, strength creeping into his words again along with the sharpness in his clear blue eyes. Kaldur could not help the smile near grin taking over his features. When he pulled him into a last hug Dick relaxed chuckling and Kaldur was glad. He had missed being in close contact to people he trusted. He needed this hug as much as Dick did.  

“I promise.” 


End file.
